Wrench-tightener



(No Model.)

' J. W. BESS.

WRENCH TIGHTENER.

Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

7 Wim www 3J.

Wigassas:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

JOI-IN WV. ESS, OF BRILLIANT, OHIO.

WRENCH-TIGHTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,928, dated August 12, 1890.

Application filed March 22, 1890. Serial No. 344,902. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

- Be it known that I, JOHN YV. BESS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brilliant, in the county of Jefferson and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Trench- Tightener, of which the following is a specication.

The object of this inventionis to provide a simple and convenient device for giving the wrenches for tightening boring-bits forY drillrods a final turn, whereby the bits are securely seated within the boxes or sockets of drill-rods5 also, for giving the initiatory twist to the wrenches for loosing the bits from the rods.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims. g

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a device constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being operatively connected with the drill-bit and rod-wrenches of an oil-wellboring machine. Fig. 2 is a perspective in detail of the device. Fig. 3 is a section of the same in position on the rack-bed. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 represents the drill-rod of an oil-well-boring machine, which, as is usual, terminates at its lower end in a threaded socket 2,cone shaped internally and adapted to receive the drill-bit 3, which bit is provided at the upper end of the shank with a squared head 4, and above the same in a tapered threaded tenon 5, adapted to engage the threads of and take within the conical socket or box 2, above which upon the drill-rod is formed a squared portion 6 for the accommodation of the holding-wrench.

In connecting the bits with the drill-rod, after the bits have been inserted as far as possible within' the sockets by hand it is customary to employ powerful twisting devices to further move the bits and insert them in said sockets, whereby the liability of an accidental disconnection of the bit with the rod is avoided. These twisting devices require considerable power and the combined exertions of several hands for the purpose of operating them; but by my invention, as will hereinafter appear, it will be obvious that one or `at most two persons will be all that is necessary to operate the same, the effectiveness of the device being at once obvious to those conversant with oil-well-boring mal chinery.

I have herein illustrated sufficient of an' oil-well and well-boring machinery to first illustrate the applicability of my invention, which I will now proceed to describe in detail.

7 represents what I shall term the?c rack bed or plate, and the same is formed upon the arc of a circle, which practically has a diameter of about six feet. This plate or bed is concentric with the oil-well 8, and is provided at its opposite edges with vertical flan ges 9, and intermediate said flanges at the center of the bed with a similar central flange 9, the latter flange serving to longitudinally divide the bed into two parallel ways 10.

The bottom of the inner way 10 is provided with a series of teeth, the disposition of which is to the left of the plate, and the bottom of the opposite or outer way is provided with a similar series of teeth disposed to the right, said teeth being designated as 11. The lowest portions of the teeth are each provided with perforations or drainage openings 12, by which water and moisture may pass from the Ateeth and be prevented from collecting and freezing between the teeth, so as to render the machine inoperative. From opposite points of the base there project lateral perforated securing-ears 13, through which are driven anchoring-spikes 14, passing into the platform 15 surrounding the well, The opposite ends of the plate extend slightly beyond the central flange 9, and are each pro# IOO ing-pin 22, extending transversely through the head and across the slot.

25 represents the upper draw-hook or feedpawl, the rear end of which is somewhat reduced to enter the recess of the head, and provided with a transverse opening 24, adapted to receive the bearing-pin 22, so that said hook or pawl is adapted to freely swing upon the pin. Below the opening-21 a simi. lar pair of openings 28 is formed in the head, and in the same is mounted the transverse bearing-pin 26, said pin being located near the lower extremity of the lever. 28 represents a lower pawl or hook considerably smaller than the upper hook 25, and, like the same, has its rear end slightly reduced and provided with a transverse opening 29 for the reception of the pin 26, upon which said lower hook is adapted to loosely swing, the upper or larger hook taking over the smaller anchoring-hook, as shown. Between the two bearing-pins 22 and 26 and in line with the same is a transverse opening 30, in which is mounted a transverse bearing-pin 31, of a length sufficient to extend at each side of the lever, said pin being provided at one end with a head 33 and threaded at the other end to receive a nut 34.

35 represents a sliding link having an elliptical opening 36 formed therein, said link being of a Width to loosely fit within the curved tracks 10. The front end of the link is provided with a pair of parallel forwardly-projecting ears 37 which ears embrace the lower end or head of the lever, and are perforated, as at 38, for the reception of the bolt 30, upon which bolt said link is loosely pivoted. The

lower portion of the link is provided with a flat plane surface 39, adapted to slide over the teeth l1 of the bed.

40 and 41 represent the upper and lower or right and left hand wrenches, respectively,`

which wrenches are applied to the squared portion 6 of the drill-rod and to the square head 4 of the bit. The heads of the wrenches, or rather the openings therein, as is well known, are oppositely disposed, so that in twisting and when the wrenches are moved from each other the strain is thrown upon the thickened portions of the wrenches, and therefore those portions best adapted to withstand the same. In tightening up the upper wrench 40 rests against the pin 17,which is inserted in the opening 16, formed in the base at the left-hand end of the same. The opposite wrench 41 has its shank or handle entered in the elliptical opening 36 of the traveling link,which link and its operating-lever is at the opposite end of the toothed bed. After this has been accomplished it is simply necessary to oscillate the lever, so that as one pawl is advancing to take over the next succeeding tooth the other pawl is acting as an anchoring or holding pawl to prevent the lever slipping. It will be seen that at each forward and rearward movement of the lever the link is advanced one tooth along the bed, and

the pins 21 and 26 alternately become the fulcrum-pin of the lever. In this manner a most powerful leverage is secured and va steady tightening up of the bit within the head of the drill-rod is effected by a single operator. The upper wrench being maintained by the pin 17 from movement, it will be apparent that the drill-rod is held as in avise and prevented from being twisted by the severe strain thrown thereupon. After the bit has been tightened and the lever brought to a standstill, it will be apparent that considerable tension exerts in the two wrench-handles and that to withdraw the two drawing-pawls from engagement with the teeth 12 would cause a possible breakage of the device by the sudden release of l the levers. For this reason first one pawl and then the other is lifted out of mesh with theteeth and the lever, giving a gradual retrograde movement for a tooth or two, so as to relieve the strain.

In loosening up thebitasecond companion lever'moves in the opposite or outer track, so that subsequent oscillations of the same will feed the lever toward the opposite end or in opposite direction from that in which it is traveling in tightening up. Precisely the same movements take place in the loosening operation as in the tightening up, the only change being that the levers are reversed, so

.that the right-hand lever and the one arranged upon the drill-rod in tightening up becomes the lower left-hand lever in loosening. The pin 17 is also placed in the socket 16 atthe right-hand sideof the bed and performs precisely the same function as before, with the exception that it prevents the upper wrench from moving.

IOO

In oscillating the lever it will be seen that l the link is moved a half notch or tooth at each forward and rearward movement of the lever, so that a forward and rearward movement combine to move the link one notch.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is* 1. The combination, with a curved double track provided with teeth, the teeth of one track being arranged in a direction opposite those of the other track, of a removablelever adapted to be inserted in either track and provided with hook-shaped pawls pivoted vertically opposite each other in the lower end of the lever and a wrench-handle-reoeiving device mounted upon the lever between the pivots of the pawls, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the curved double and oppositely-toothed tracks, of the lever mounted therein removably therefrom and provided with a pair of drawing-pawls pivoted vertically opposite each other in the lower end of the lever and adapted to engage successively and alternately the teeth of the track n and a traveling link mounted for sliding on the track and having an opening for the reception of a wrench-handle andv pivotedn to the lever between the pivot-points of theL pawls, substantially as specified.'

IIO

3. The combination, with the curved oppositely-toothed double track, of the movable lever having a pair of pawls the rear ends of which are pivoted to the lever at verticallyopposite points, and a sliding link mounted for movement over the track and having an elliptical opening for the reception of a wrench-handle and a pair of forwardly-projecting perforated ears, and a bolt passing loosely through the ears and the handle at a point in the latter between the bearing-pins of the pawls, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the curved track provided with a series of teeth and opposite sockets or openings, of a lever having opposite drawing-pawls pivoted thereto, a wrenchhandlereceiving link pivoted to the lever between the pivots of the pawls, and a remov able pin located in one of the sockets of the tracks, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the drill-rod l, having the squared portion 6, and the bit 3,

having the rectangular head 4, of the curved bed having the two outer ianges and the central dividingflange forming the opposite tracks the bottoms of which are toothed in opposite directions, the openings formed in the ends of the bed, the removable pin inserted in one of said openings, the opposite levers mounted on the drill-rod and drill,thc upper wrench. taking against the pin, and the movable lever mounted in one of the tracks and provided with a link for receiving the lower wrench and with opposite pawls pivoted at each side of the pivot of the link and engaging the teeth of the track, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN XV. BESS.

Witnesses:

NICHOLAS ScmrnLnn, GEO. W. EvERsoN. 

